Crossing guard injured in Clearwater pedestrian accident

Every year more people are injured or killed in auto-pedestrian accidents due to poorly designed road crossings and speeding or inattentive drivers. These accidents are often fatal, and even when the victim is lucky enough to survive, the injuries can be devastating.

A Pinellas County crossing guard was injured in yet another pedestrian accident in Florida earlier this month. According to reports, the accident happened in Clearwater at the intersection of Sunset Point Road and Betty Lane. It was not clear if the crossing guard was performing his job duties at the time of the accident, but the two roads are in close proximity to both Sandy Lane Elementary and Calvin A. Hunsinger School.

According to officials, the man was struck by a vehicle traveling westbound on Sunset Point road on the afternoon of Sept. 16. Authorities believe the vehicle was moving at around 30 miles per hour — the posted speed limit — at the time of the accident, but it had apparently been raining hard right before.

The crossing guard, who was reported to be in his 70s, suffered nonlife-threatening injuries that were not made immediately available. There were no reports on whether the driver of the vehicle was also injured, and the intersection was closed Sept. 16 as the investigation was ongoing.

Even a driver going the speed limit may be able to be held liable in a personal injury lawsuit if the vehicle was moving too fast for road conditions or the driver was not paying attention to notice slowed or stopped traffic ahead. Victims who have questions after any type of motor vehicle accident should know that there are options, and seeking out information on those options is the first step.